


Five Times Rin Gets A Forehead Bump from Makoto (and the one time Makoto prefers to kiss him instead)

by isuilde



Category: Free!
Genre: Established Relationship, Five Plus One, Installment #1, M/M, MakoRin Week, Unrepentant Fluff, foreheads touching ftw, inspired by the glorious official art
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-23
Updated: 2013-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-05 16:06:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1095943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isuilde/pseuds/isuilde
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Exactly what it said on the title.</p><p>(alternatively, Rin and Makoto being huge saps.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Times Rin Gets A Forehead Bump from Makoto (and the one time Makoto prefers to kiss him instead)

**Author's Note:**

> This ends up being a five plus one thing, hahaha. THAT FOREHEAD TOUCHING IN THE OFFICIAL ART IS A BIG DEAL OKAY. Okay. So I figured hey, why not have more of foreheads touching, and this thing somehow explodes to 4666 words and I thought wow that’s a neat number, so I stopped writing. Pretty much. But enjoy, HAHAHA.

**1\. Good Luck**

Rei’s butterfly is smoother, now. Rin watches, feels the pride surging up his chest and clogging his throat a little. Their extra practice lessons paid off wonderfully—with the way Rei just sliced through the last meter and secured second place before Haruka jumps in, there’s no doubt Iwatobi is going to win this round. 

Haruka’s swimming is beautiful, as usual. It’s the water who makes way for him, the water who opens up and accepts him, cradling him and pushing him to the first place. The other three are shouting, Nagisa looks like he’s about to throw himself into the pool, but Haru is getting even faster, like everyone’s voice is pulling him forward, and Rin has a hard time stopping himself from yelling Haruka’s name with the rest of Iwatobi guys, too. 

The bell sounded, nearly drowned by the cheers of Iwatobi supporters, and Rin watches with a grin splitting his face as Makoto pulls Haruka up and Nagisa launches himself at Haruka. 

“Get ready, Matsuoka.” The Captain’s voice rumbles from behind. “We’re on next.” 

“Fuck yeah,” and he’s pumped, because he knows he’s got to show the Iwatobi guys his best. He wouldn’t give Rei a chance to utter a single critic on his dive this time. He’s pretty sure he could best Haruka’s time too, if he put more strength in his kicks. He’ll make sure Samezuka Team’s time is better than Iwatobi’s—mostly for his ego, but also because Makoto had bet him an extra blowjob for whoever’s team has the better time. 

Blowjobs give Matsuoka Rin extra motivation, okay, don’t judge him for that. 

Their teams meet on the hallway towards the pool—Haruka’s walking up front with Makoto just off to the side, and Nagisa hanging over Rei behind them. Kaede and Hino break into a cheer, congratulating them for their victory, which Nagisa answers by flexing his muscles and Rei with polite bows. 

The Captain grins at Makoto. “Our joint practice paid off, it seems.” 

“We’re in tiptop shape,” Makoto throws back, eyes crinkling as he smiles, and Rin loves seeing that. “You guys better watch out too; it’s going to be a workout trying to best our time just now.” 

“Getting cocky, eh, Tachibana?” they all break into laughter. Haruka looks at Rin, the right corner of his lips tugging up, and Rin can’t not take the challenge, can he? 

“We’ll be twice faster than you guys,” Rin says, a rogue grin forming on his face before he even realizes it. “Watch it, Haru. I’ll show you something incredible.” 

“Looking forward to it,” Haruka’s voice is bland, but there’s excitement in his eyes. 

The Captain slaps Makoto’s shoulder, waving him off, and the rest of the team follow. Nagisa yells “Good luck, sharks!” with an echoing giggle, and Rin turns to flip him one, but someone snags his hand and halts him, pulling him backwards. Rin swivels, surprised, because it’s Makoto standing so close all of a sudden, his fingers tight around Rin’s wrist, and for a second, Rin simply forgets to breathe. 

Makoto smiles, leans down and bumps their foreheads together. 

“Good luck, Rin.” That bright, bright smile. “We’ll swim together in the Nationals.” 

Rin swallows. “I’ll get that blowjob, Tachibana,” he says, because his brain just short-circuited right there, and Makoto laughs, bright and happy, before letting him go. 

Samezuka bests Iwatobi’s time by a millisecond. Rin gets to drag Makoto smugly into one of the shower stalls for that. 

 

 

  
**\-----o0o-----**  

**2\. Feel Good**

Summer is the beach. Summer is the sea. Summer is popsicles and less clothes and the sand between his toes. Summer is the swimming club’s summer camp. 

They get to use the pool facility again. Iwatobi goes for the beach, again, because Makoto smiles at Rin and says _it’s okay, Samezuka should use the facility, we’re trying to build up our stamina anyway_. At least those guys have enough budget to rent a proper place to sleep, even if it’s just a small cottage right next to the beach. 

Rin goes there on his free time, even with Nitori tailing him and seemingly in cohorts with Nagisa now (Rin should probably stop him, or they might be in danger of shotas’-world-domination or something). His sister is there, and so is Mikoshiba, who had apparently volunteered to help coaching the Iwatobi guys after Nagisa offhandedly mentions about the camp. Mostly though, it’s a good chance to see Makoto in swimwear, which Rin can never get enough of. 

What are you talking about, it’s not because he’s worried over Makoto and the beach belonging in the same sentence. 

He joins them swimming too, sometimes. There’s something about the clear summer sky reflected on the ocean the lures him to get into the water, to submerge himself and be one with the ocean. Rin wonders if this is how Haruka feels most of the time, because the water feels good around him, embracing and calming, even as he wiggles his fingers and toes under the water and turns on his back, letting all his muscles relax as he floats up slowly. 

It’s a bit hard to open his eyes under the water without his goggles, but Rin could see Nitori’s feet kicking as he swims towards the surface. Nagisa is chasing after Rei just off to the side, his kicks disturbing the calm ocean, and Haruka’s back floating up on the surface, blocking the sunlight that filters through the water. Makoto is there, too, swimming down to him with a big grin plastered on his face, the dork. 

 _Hi_ , Rin wants to say, takes a second to admire the way Makoto’s head seems to be haloed by the sunlight, the way Makoto’s muscles flex as the distance between them grows shorter. _You’re gorgeous_. 

Makoto’s eyes are dancing. Rin leans and kicks up towards him. Makoto leans down. 

Their foreheads meet. 

Rin wants to kick the romantic in him that makes him mouth _I love you_ , but Makoto’s is a huge sap, which is a good thing, because his arms wind around Rin’s shoulders and pulls him closer, and together, they find the way back up to the surface. 

 

 

  
**\-----o0o-----**  

**3\. Good Night**

He wakes up around two in the morning, looks past the window and at the storm raging outside, and feels an odd sense of déjà vu stir in his mind. 

The thought of Makoto, awake in the dark with just the storm outside, flashes in his mind. 

Rin rubs his eyes—no, nothing to worry, the Iwatobi guys have a proper place to sleep this year. Rei knows better not to be dumb and go out to swim in the middle of the night, Makoto wouldn’t be waking up alone and going out in the storm to look for Rei, the others would make sure everything and everyone is safe and sound, everything turned out okay last year, too— 

But Haruka’s voice, somber and tensed, echoes in his ears: _I pulled him out of the water, and he_ wasn’t breathing _. He wasn’t breathing, and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, he_ wasn’t breathing _, Rin—_  

Fuck it. 

“Senpai?” Nitori calls out, clearly still half-asleep, when Rin slips into his training pants and buttons up his hoodie. “Are you going somewhere?” 

Rin pauses. “Just—checking up on things.” 

The younger boy shifts up, sleepy eyes squinting as they try to see through the darkness of the room. “It’s storming out.” 

“I’ll be fine. Go back to sleep, tell the Captain I’ll be back before morning practice if he asked tomorrow.” He snatches his cell phone and pulls his hood up, and opens the door. “Night, Nitori.” 

“Be careful, senpai,” is the last thing he hears before he closes the door. For a second, Rin stares at the harsh rain pelting the window, considers not to go after all—maybe he could call, Makoto would pick up, voice thick with sleep and tell Rin that he’s okay and Rin should go back to sleep—but Haruka’s voice whispers in his ears: _he wasn’t breathing_. 

Rin groans. Maybe him insisting to know what happened last year at Iwatobi summer camp had been a bad decision, if it’s turned him into a paranoid mess like this. 

He goes anyway, running through the rain, splashing water and mud on his training pants along the road towards Iwatobi’s small cottage. The ocean is raging, walls after walls of waves crashing on the shoreline, the sky ominously dark as thunders chasing after one another. Rin pauses on the doorstep of the cottage, throws a look at the ocean, and shivers. If Makoto is out there—

He banishes the thought. What the fuck, he’s starting to sound _mental_. 

He fishes out his phone and considers calling Gou to open the door—it’s summer, but it’s a stormy night and it’s fucking freezing out—but before he could do anything more than sliding his thumb across the screen to find Gou’s number, the door opens. 

Nanase Haruka stares at him like he’s gone insane. 

He probably is. He’s the one standing outside in the middle of a fucking storm in a hoodie, soaked and shivering, looking like he’s not really sure why he is there himself. 

“Hey,” is what comes out of his mouth, teeth chattering. “I need to borrow your clothes.” 

Haruka sighs minutely. “Makoto is fine.” He moves aside though, letting Rin step inside, and closes the door. “Wait here, I’ll get you a towel.” 

In the end, Haruka pushes him into the bathroom with a towel and Makoto’s shirt and pajama pants (apparently Haruka has not the hesitance to rummage around Makoto’s bag and steal clothes out of it, what the fuck is their friendship, Rin does not understand at all). Rin stares at the boxer neatly folded between the shirt and the pants, a small, elegant print of shark on the waistline, and decides to go commando after all. Makoto’s pants are two sizes bigger, too; Rin actually has to fold the legs up so he wouldn’t fall on his face the second he step out of the bathroom. 

He dumps his soaked clothes into a plastic bag Haruka hands him. “Where’s Makoto?” 

“Asleep.” 

“Why aren’t you?” 

Haruka shrugs. “I was getting some water from the kitchen. Saw you running from the kitchen window.” 

“Oh,” that explains why Haruka got to the door before Rin even made a call. “Well, shit. I’ll just crash on the sofa, then.” 

Haruka gives him a look. “Just get in the room.” 

He ends up crawling into Makoto’s bed, under Makoto’s blankets, trying his best not to wake the older boy as he settles down. His effort’s for nothing, though, because Makoto is bulky, and the single bed is barely enough for him. Rin glances at Haruka, who is burrowing into his own blankets on the bed next to them, looking like he’s about to roll his eyes at the sight of Makoto and Rin. 

He doesn’t get to snark at Haruka, though, because Makoto is shifting under him. Rin freezes, limbs awkward, eyes trained on the way Makoto’s eyes slowly open, blinking sleepily before widening in surprise. 

“…huh…? Rin…?” 

“Hi,” Rin says, voice tiny and sheepish. “Uh. Booty call?” 

Haruka actually snorts. Rin throws him a glare. Makoto looks confused. 

“Wha..? What are you—“ he shuffles up, a hand rubbing on his eyes even as he sits.  Green eyes gaze past Rin and through the window, blinking once at the storm outside. “It’s raining hard out—how did you get here?” He blinks again, this time at Rin. “Is that my shirt?” 

“Mine’s soaked through, genius,” Rin says, injecting a tone of annoyance to hide the embarrassment crawling on his face. “And I’m fucking exhausted, just let me sleep.” 

“Okay…?” Makoto says, clearly confused, and he leans back down, turning on his side to make room for Rin. Even with that, Rin still has to press close against Makoto so he could get comfortable. Damn single beds. 

“Don’t do anything weird,” Haruka says, but his voice slurs, and Rin thinks he’s probably halfway to the La La Land anyway. Makoto splutters anyway, because he’s fully awake now, and Rin rolls his eyes. He tugs on Makoto’s bangs half-heartedly. “Sleep.” 

“Okay,” Makoto murmurs obediently, ducking his head, and pressing their foreheads together confortably. Rin lets him, enjoys the steady presence it offers, and breathes in Makoto’s scent. He watches Makoto’s eyelashes flutter with every breath that Rin exhales, and feels the question coming before Makoto even form the words. “Rin, why are you here?” 

Rin closes his eyes. “Couldn’t sleep.” But his grip on Makoto’s arm tightens ever so slightly, and just like that, Makoto breathes out “Oh,” in realization. When their eyes meet again, there’s apology in Makoto’s gaze. “Rin, I’m—“ 

Rin doesn’t let him. “Nitori snores.” Nitori really doesn’t, but Makoto’s eyes widen in surprise and a chuckle falls through his lips, so Rin thinks he’s just going to share his popsicle with Nitori tomorrow for the lie. “I couldn’t sleep.” 

Makoto’s eyes soften. “Okay,” he whispers, and the word falls upon Rin’s nose. Rin presses their foreheads harder for a moment, feels Makoto’s hand drops to his waist, and exhales in relief. They’re good, it’s fine, Makoto is fine, it’s good. 

“Rin—“ his name, nearly inaudible and somewhat sounded like a—surprise? “You’re not wearing anything underneath, are you?” 

Rin is glad Haruka’s the kind who goes to sleep really fast. He still has to bite Makoto’s shoulder in order to not make a sound when Makoto’s hand slips into his pants, though. 

 

 

  
**\-----o0o-----**  

**4\. We’re Good**

Rin had laughed, the first time Makoto told him about his plan. In retrospect, he really had been awful about it. But honestly, Rin hadn’t thought Makoto was serious—he’s been in Iwatobi all his life, and there’s Haruka, and Haruka is staying at Iwatobi after high school, and Rin honestly can’t imagine Makoto not going with Haruka, and that’s probably why he hadn’t thought Makoto was serious. 

That is, until Makoto starts working part-time and taking odd jobs, saving up for a trip to Tokyo after New Year. He wants to start looking for apartments, start familiarizing himself with Tokyo so he wouldn’t fumble around when he get there, so that he could concentrate on taking the exams. Aiming to be a med student isn’t easy, and aiming to get into Tokyo Daigaku makes it a thousand times harder. 

Rin doesn’t doubt that Makoto would be able to get in, though. Which is why he doesn’t complain when Makoto gets too busy with his jobs—fine, okay, maybe he complained a little, but he understands Makoto’s situation. 

And now, five days before Christmas, Rin is standing on the empty alley where the back door of a karaoke place leads to, leaning on the wall and looking up at the night sky as the snowflakes fall soundlessly. It’s late;  Rin thinks he’s not supposed to be here, but Makoto always uses the back door when he goes home and Rin doesn’t want to miss him. He hasn’t seen Makoto for _days_ , it’s not acceptable. 

The door rattles and creaks, and Rin hears Makoto’s cheerful “Thank you for the hard work!” before catching the sight of the taller boy stepping out of the building. He pushes himself off the wall, straightening his coat and watches his breath puffs out when he calls out. 

“Makoto.” 

Makoto closes the door, looks up in surprise, and breaks into a smile. “Rin!” He jogs up to where Rin stands, looking like Christmas has come early, and Rin fights the smile threatening to split his own face at the ridiculous happiness. “What are you doing here?” 

Rin shrugs. “I went over to Haru’s. He said you’re working overtime tonight.” 

Makoto grins. “And you decided to pick me up?” 

Rin raises an eyebrow. “I have a mountain of homework, Tachibana. A mountain. That’s what my life is, at Samezuka.” He rummages around his bag, pulls out a DVD. “I’m just returning this, I have no other business.” 

Makoto laughs, and Rin remembers bells tinkling on the Christmas tree, back when he was in Australia and his dorm put up a huge Christmas tree the kids could decorate together. “You could’ve just dropped this at my home.” 

Rin rolls his eyes. “Whatever,” he says, but it’s softer, because Makoto isn’t taking the DVD and instead just holding Rin’s bare hands, enveloping them in his own gloved ones. “What are you doing, dork.” 

“Nothing,” Makoto says, pulling Rin closer and pressing his forehead onto Rin’s. It’s warm. “You’re cold,” Makoto murmurs. “How long did you wait up for me?” 

Rin snorts. “Don’t get too cocky, Tachibana.” An hour tops, he thinks, but hell if he’s going to let Makoto know about that. For one thing, the older boy might fuss too much about it. 

Makoto exhales, the air warm upon Rin’s nose. “There’s good oden near the station,” he says, and Rin literally breathes in the words. “I’m hungry. If you’re not in a hurry?” 

“Nah,” Rin says, and wonders why his voice keeps getting softer and softer. “I was just going to pick my boyfriend up. No big deal.” 

Makoto chuckles. “I wonder if you’re planning to walk him home, too.” 

Rin shrugs. “If he’s good. Maybe.” 

Makoto pulls off one of his gloves, putting it on Rin’s hand and tucks the bare one into his coat pocket with his own. Their fingers curl together almost like an instinct, and Rin enjoys the warmth. The alleyway is empty, and he knows Makoto will let him go once they’ve reached the main road, but for now, he has this. 

He has this warmth, and Makoto close by his side, and the snow falling. 

 

 

  
**\-----o0o-----**  

**5\. Goodbye**

His flight back to Australia is on a bright autumn day, and Nagisa is sobbing like a kid. 

“Stop it,” Rin says, annoyed, because Nagisa’s crocodile tears are getting annoying. The blond pouts up at him, eyes wet and fake-hurt, and Rin sighs. “Yes, Nagisa, I’ll reply to your emails, unless you start sending me pictures of Rei’s ass.” 

Rei makes an undignified, scandalized noise and Nagisa gasps. “That is a good idea, Rin-chan!” 

“Please don’t,” Rei says, voice almost a whimper. “He’ll show them to his sisters. There will be hell.” 

“I sympathize,” Rin tells him nonchalantly, because he does, but not enough. Besides, Rei’s got a good ass. There’s no harm in just looking, especially if Nagisa is willing to share. “You’re welcome to run away to Australia any time, though, Rei. I’ll make room for you.” 

Haruka turns to Makoto. “That should be your first warning of Rin cheating on you with Rei, of all person.” 

Rin throws a straw at Haruka. “Don’t feed him stupid ideas. You know he worries.” 

“Oh, I don’t,” Makoto says. “Not with Rei. Nagisa is scary when he gets possessive, you know that.” 

“I’m not,” Nagisa denies rather cheerfully, with the smile as bright as the devils’ luring people away from the right path. Rin takes a conscious step away from him. “Rin-chan, how mean!” 

“You shaved Mikoshiba’s hair when you thought he touched Rein one time too many, even though you know he’s so far gone for Gou.” 

“I just take careful precautions!” Nagisa pouts. “Besides, Gou-chan likes him better bald.” 

“I actually do,” Gou adds thoughtfully. “His muscles stand out even more that way. You should try it, Oniichan.” 

“I don’t know any one of you anymore,” Rin declares, but it’s drowned by the announcement of his flight blaring over their heads. “Huh, it’s time already.” 

“Take care, Oniichan,” Gou tiptoes, giving him a light kiss on the cheek and hugging him tight. Rin returns the hug, and feels something inside him breaks when he realizes how small his sister is. “I’ll come visit on the Golden Week.” 

“Don’t date anyone,” Rin says sternly, but Gou just laughs as she let go of him. Nagisa pounces on him, squeezing the life out of Rin for a few seconds, and Rin thinks there are real tears in Nagisa’s eyes this time. 

“Bye, Rin-chan.” He grins when he pushes away. “Make sure you tell us when you come home, okay?” 

“Yeah,” Rin says, swallowing the tightness in his throat, the old guilt for how he treated his friends resurfacing. He ruffled Nagisa’s hair, the way he used to back when they were in grade school, and smiles when Nagisa’s face lights up. He turns to Rei, and clicks his tongue when Rei bows politely at him. 

“What are you doing, stupid,” he laughs, pulls Rei into a hug, because he’s so lucky to have met Rei, because his life wouldn’t be the same if it hadn’t for Rei. Rei stiffens in his arms, but Rin says “Thanks a lot, Rei,” and he relaxes, arms going up to hug Rin back. “I’m glad we’re friends. Really.” 

Rei chuckles. “So it’s true that Rin-san is a romantic.” He pauses, thoughtful. “Or should I say, overly sentimental?”

“Shut up,” Rin tells him, playfully punches his shoulder. “Your butterfly still needs a lot of work.” 

Haruka is the one who draws him into a hug, surprisingly, but Rin doesn’t mind. He curls his arms around Haruka’s shoulders and closes his eyes. Haruka says nothing, but the way his hold tightens tells Rin everything he needs: _you’ll be fine, Rin_. 

Yeah, Rin thinks, and for a second wonders if Makoto’s ability to read Haruka like an open book is rubbing off on him. The thought makes him laugh. Haruka blinks, looks at him like he’s probably lost it, and Rin just grins. 

“You know, Haru,” he says, because this is important. “I’ll find a sight a million times better than you showed me.” He takes a breath, and smiles. “I’ll show it to you, some time.” 

Haruka’s smile, if anything, is challenging. “Looking forward to it.” 

Makoto doesn’t hug him. Makoto just takes his hands, his grip tight but not suffocating like he always does, and presses their foreheads together, hard. Rin inhales the air that Makoto exhales, and wonders why it feels strangely more intimate than all the hugs. 

“I’ll miss you,” Makoto murmurs, because Rin’s the romantic and Makoto’s the huge sap. What a dork. “Do your best, Rin.” 

“Yeah,” he croaks, and silently curses when his eyes start to prickle. He presses his forehead against Makoto’s harder and thinks he can feel their bones grinding. “I—you’ll be—“ 

Makoto smiles. “I’ll be fine. You will, too.” 

“I know.” His voice shakes. “If there’s anything—“ 

“If there’s anything,” Makoto agrees. “I’ll let you know. And you’ll do the same.” 

It’s their only agreement before Rin goes. It would take a big effort, on both their parts, to do so, to start trusting each other more than they do anyone else. But it’s Makoto, and Rin wants to try. Wants to work hard for it. So he says “Yeah,” and nothing else, because they’ve talked about too many things and nothing and not enough time, and Rin leaves a huge chunk of himself behind with Makoto. “Yeah.” 

Makoto’s face is so close. Rin wants to kiss him. 

Instead, he tells Makoto, “I love you.” 

Makoto smiles like a thousand suns. “I love you, too.” 

Nagisa and Gou cry real tears when he waves at them from the boarding gate. Rei keeps blinking back his own tears, and Haruka simply stares at him unblinkingly, like if he blinks he’d probably cry, and Rin wants to laugh at the thought. But Makoto, Makoto is just standing there, with a smile that reaches his eyes, and a relaxed set of shoulders. Makoto is standing there, tall and steady and confident and trusting as he waved back at Rin, and for some reason, it gives Rin the courage he needs to step forward. 

 _Goodbye_ , Rin thinks as he turns around. _I’ll see you guys later._  

 

 

**\-----o0o-----**

**(+1) Good Things**  

In the middle of a fucking freezing August, Rin’s cell phone rings. 

With great efforts, Rin extracts himself from the blankets to reach the phone he’d abandoned on the coffee table minutes ago. It’s worth it though, because it’s Makoto’s name that flashes on the screen. He slides his thumb across it and takes the call. “Yeah, hey.” 

“Rin?” Makoto’s voice greets him back, and Rin can hear noises of cars driving by. He must be outside. Rin wistfully thinks of summer in Japan, of beach and of warm ocean. “Hey. It’s me.” 

Rin rolls his eyes. “What a surprise, it’s you,” he comments blandly, and hears Makoto chuckle. “What’s up?” 

“Oh, nothing,” Makoto replies airily. “I was just wondering if you’re home.” 

“I’m home and I’m wearing my boxer,” Rin pauses and grins. “It’s two sizes bigger and has a small shark print on it.” 

He can practically _hear_ Makoto’s blush. “You must be freezing, then, if you’re only wearing boxers.” 

Rin snorts. “All wrapped up in blankets, ready for you to open.” He hears Makoto make an odd noise, and frowns. “Makoto?” 

“I’d like that, yeah.” The words come out rather shyly, and Rin straightens up, because Makoto would usually laugh at his dirty jokes, and this is unusual. “Would you, Rin? I mean, if I’m there?” 

“What, wearing nothing but my boxer and blankets?” Rin pauses, because something is blaring into the phone, drowning Makoto’s response, and it’s—in English? What the fuck. “Makoto, where are you?” 

“Um,” Makoto says, sounding sheepish. “I’m not sure. I think I took the wrong train.”

“What.”

“I took some days off,” Makoto says. “I thought I should go and surprise you, and we can spend the vacation together. Haru and the others helped chipping in for the tickets.” 

Rin loses his ability to think. “What.” 

“Yeah, I’m—somewhere close to your place, I’m just not sure where, and I think I’m lost. Could you maybe come and pick me up, Rin? I have someone trying to explain to me where I am, but I can’t catch anything he’s saying—” 

Rin doesn’t even know when or why he starts laughing. 

But he gets up, gets dressed in record time, snatches his coat and doesn’t even care to get his gloves or scarf, because his heart is thumping and he feels so giddy, like the first time he’d won the school race. He runs out and doesn’t stop, runs to the subway and boards the next train to where Makoto is. When he gets off, his hands are freezing, but there’s Makoto standing on the platform, with a backpack slung over a shoulder, and Rin laughs. 

“You are,” he says, when he steps in front of Makoto. “An idiot.” 

Makoto smiles sheepishly. “I tried?” He reaches out, takes Rin’s hands into his own gloved ones, and brings them up so he can blow on them. It’s warm. “You’re freezing.” 

“Someone made me go out in the middle of a fucking winter night to pick them up because they got lost,” Rin points out. “I will make them take responsibility for that.” 

Makoto laughs, and it’s not even Christmas, but Rin remembers the warmth of Haruka’s house and the small Christmas tree Nagisa bought, remembers Rei singing Christmas carols and butchering the words and Nitori making it worse, remembers the Tachibana twins proudly presenting him socks filled with presents, remembers the star Gou put on top of the tree and Mikoshiba coming as Santa Claus. 

“It’s cold out,” Makoto agrees, and pulls Rin closer. Their foreheads bump, and Rin doesn’t know why he can’t stop laughing, until Makoto leans down and presses their lips together. 

Rin tastes his own name on Makoto’s lips, and whispers Makoto’s name against it. It’s warm. 

It’s August, where it’s summer in Japan but winter in Australia, and Rin’s glad Makoto’s brought Japan’s summer inside of him. 

 

 

**\-----o0ofinitoo0o-----**


End file.
